Lapping machine



sept. 7, 1943. G, F JOHNSON 2,328,809

LAPPING MAcgNE Filed May 23, 1941' 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 7, 1943. G. F. JoHNsoN LAPPING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 z; I:l

2 Z Bnnentol: 676// /gfoso @M%omegs ii, (if

MEM u u Sept 7, 1943 G. JOHNSON 2,328,809

LAPPING MACHINE Filed May 23, 1941 3 Sheets--Sheet 3 nventor (Ittomegs Patented Sept. 7, 1943 LAPPING WIACHINEA Glen F. Johnson, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Bower Roller Bearing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan v Application May 23, 1941, serial No. stacca (C1. n iis) 14 Claims.

rlhis invention relates, in general, to lapping machines and, in particular, to the type which is capable of lapping the endsurfaces f roller bearing members.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a new and improved lapping machine which produces a higher grade nish on the end surfaces of roller bearing members than heretofore. l Y

Another object is to provide a new and improved lapping machine for the end surfaces of roller bearing members which is constructed more simply and compactly, operated more easily and efciently and productive of better results than heretofore. 1

Another object is to improve a lapping machine having a pair of opposed lap surfaces between which work pieces are carried by a support whereby said surfaces, piecesand support are so movable with respect to` each other that results heretofore unrealized may now be produced.

Another object is to provide anew and improved lapping machine which employs. a pair of opposed lap devices and an intermediate work support and which devices and support may rotate relatively to each other with an eccentricity therebetween or with a concentricity therebetween, whichever is desired".v

Another object is to provide a new and improved lapping machine for the end surfaces vof roller bearing members which may be made readily adapted for sets of saidV members having different lengths.

Other objects and advantages "of the invention will become readily apparent from a refer- Figure is a section taken along the `lines iQ--lllin Figure 9. j

The machine herein disclosed'v comprises a main supporting structure consisting of a pair of integrated, vertically spaced sections, generally indicated atlvand lvl,jthe' upper section le ence to the following specification taken in cony Figures 3 and 6 are "sections takenalong thel lines 3 3 andG-(i, respectively, in Figure l;

serving as the supporting means for an upper lap device, generally indicated at l2, and the lower section Il serving as the supporting means for a lower lap device, generally indicated at' i3, there being a work carrying device, generally indicated. at I4, arranged between said other twodevices. 5'

It is desired that one of the two lap devices be non-rotatable but rectilinearly movable and that the other of said cle'vicesbe rotatable but non-rectilinearly movable. To illustrate means which can satisfy the first desire, .section lll carries a shaft I5 which is vertically reciprocablc' under the influence of means such as ii'uid pressure communicatedV in any wellknown and appropriete manner with opposite sides of a piston i6 xed to the upper end of saidshaft and reciprocably arranged within the cylinder l1 of a fiuid pressure device, generallyindicated at I8,

of standard design and carried on said section, the lower .end of said shaft being` fixedv to lap device `I2 and there being provided in laterally spaced relation-tosaid shaft a guide I9 ywhich operatively` interconnects said device and said section and assures unit |2-l5-I5 `of pure reciprocatory motion. On the other hand, to illustrate means which can satisfy the second desire, section l I is formed with a'portion providing an annular, horizontal, planar surface 2i] coaxially alignedwith-shaft vI5 and adapted for supporting lap device I3 thereupon, said device carrying gear means 2l in driven connection with pinion means 22 carried by said section whereby said device may vbe vrotated upon said surface.

. aboutthe coincident axes thereof.

Figures 4 and 5 are sections taken along the Figure 9 is a sectional View of part of the ma- I chine as it appears while iieiformingY a slightly modified function; and 1 l.

Upper lap device l2, which is verticallyreeiner an axis aligned with the coincidentaxes of shaft complementary keyway 45 formed therefor in the other of said heads, this key tending to lrelieve bolts 42 of the torque established by rotation of unit 3l-32 as well as to guide unit 38-31 during any adjustment which might selectively take place with respect to said unit Cil-32. It is clear that, if permanent concentric rotation of units'Sl-SZ and 33-31 is desired or if permanent eccentric rotation of said units is desired,

said'units may be made integral with one another with the axesof shafts 3l and 38 perma-` tual support for lap device I3 ris surface 20,".and

it is to be noted that ring member'21' extends:

radially inwardly from said surface so that the l under surface of this extension' may be adapted for receiving and having securedthereto gear 2| the driven portion of unit :2l-22. It willQalso be noted that the lit between the outer periphery of gear 2l' andthe inner peripheryof .the portion of support` section Il providing' surface 20 is suchasf't assure co-alignmf-:nt` of surfaces,` 29 andZ'. i i

v Before discussingliworkA carrying 'device le, its assembly andits installation;` attention is directed tothe means provided: in'. themachine whereby saidjdevjice` is carriedand driven: Support section II` is formedfwith a' hollow boss 30 which iscoaxially aligned'withshaft vIyand surfaces 25 and. Zandprovides a bearing'support' forV a stub shaft 3l. The upper end of' shaft 3 Ihasan outwardly flanged head 32 the upper surface's of which resides in r ahorizontal Vplane' near vor coinci'dentwith thatl ccmtair'iin-g"surface4 2U, and a bearing' 34f`1fsj preferably -arra'ngedf'between unit 3 lr--321 and" those" portions` of boss A38' receiving samej.j The 'lower' end" of shaft .Slicarries gear means; 3'5` operatively connected to'- pinion means S'lcarried" by' support section l Ijandis rotatable, therefore; about vits'axis by 'said gearjmeans responsive to rotationL of said'pinon'means. As a Passing' remark,v it'y` isf-to be noted that thedrive between t-l'ie elements'ofunit 35i- 45B is dissimilar toithe"driverbetwe'en'theelernents of unit Z'I-Z2, Vtheadvantages yderived' from this feature being explained"subsequently but Aits function being to establish a differential between theA rotative speeds of lapjdevicel and work carryingdevioe l'llfitthelatterdevice, as will'soon be understood; deriving: its ro'tatability fromthe rotation o-f shaft 3| which is drivenby said unit 35-36') Hfeadi offshaft Slis'adapted for supportingfa similarly formed head 351 of'` another shaft 33 which isvertically upstandingl and threaded alon'gitslen-gth, as at 39,' aswell as being formed with' one-or more longitudinally extending keyways- 45,5 said head 31' having a horizontal, planar-surface llilf similar to andengaging surface33 of saidhead 32T Units STI-32? and 3&- 3l are joined together forunitary ro-tationiby meansofa pair of Vdiametrically'spacedbolts 42 whichy pass through' openingsv 'p'rv'ided therefor inh'ed er `or 'said-funit-ree-L-arf intothreaded engagement-Twan heassi or Saidirunit sfr-s2, said {op'ening's preferablyA beingunidirectionally elongated.' so" that 'theinterjoiningr of i said. units may. produce' either .axial "alignment" of shafts 3 I and`38'of. s'aidu'nits, for concentric rotation ofl Athe-Tone' with respect".t-oitherother, loraxial disalignment of said shafts-for eccentric rotation lelism with openings 43 andr is` receivedv in a nently aligned or dis-aligned and with the need for nbolts 42, openingsvlit, key -44 and keyway 45 eliminated. v

Work: carryingdevice I4, by which it is pro-` posedrtocarryxthe work movably between and in contact with lap surfaces 26 and 29, consists in part more or less specifically of an upper annular plate 46,1 a lower annular plate el and an annular spacer t8 interconnecting said platesvlat or near'their inner peripheries, and withva definite vertical 'spacing therebetween, by means! ofl at least a pairof arcuately` spaced upperboltsd passing through said plate 46 into threaded engagement' with said spacerv and at least ay pair of arcuately spaced lower bolts 5U 'passing through said plate; tif -into threaded engagement with said spacer, this-unit 46--41--458, as will soon be seen, being operable for arrangement concenv trically about the axis-of shaft 38 for movement therewith. `The assembledunit A64-M948 is so formed as izo-present at least apair of Vvertical bores il whichv passthereth'rough and reside Abe tween-bolts ll9` andv 56, these bores having one function, asis to be seen in Figure` 8,-during the assembling' ofzdevice Itand -W another function, as is'to be seen in' Figure 1', during the employ-v ment of said device in` thelapping operation; these functions being a matter for future discussion.l y l Unit lit-'t-i--l'-also includes a. supporting base member having a lower flanged portion v52 'andi a4l central, upwardly.' extending boss portion 53-this base member` being removably secured to saidfunit' by means ofr dowels 54j secured to saidflanged portion andextending upwardly into bores 5|', and; in this assembledI condition, said boss portion extends' upwardly into .the central portion of said; unit' in `concentricity therewith. MemberA 52453 ist provided: with a central, vertical; threaded bore therethrough'in the side wall unit 52;-53, to which'isattachediunitlit-4'1 -i8r formovement therewith, is threadedlyreceivable on shaft Bti and'on this shaft is freely receivable amine member 56 from the under side of which shaft 38 and base member 52-53, and 4also that the level-.ofsaid member can be adjustedupon removing unitES-Sl `from said shaft and turning said member in one `or the other of its two directions, whereafter said level may be maintained byreturning said unit to said shaft. It can also beSeen that the provision of a single key, in the presence of a plurality of keyways in each of the two members receiving said key, provides for a more selective level adjustment of device Illl than if more keys were to be employed.

It isproposed to support work pieces,'suchl as roller bearing members 58",betweennand in endvto-end relationship withlap surfaces 26 and 29 by means of Work carrying deviceM so that lsaid members may be moved not only about the axis of shaft 38 but also about their own axes. This movability of members 58 about the axis of shaft t8 is clearly compound with respect to lap surfaces and 29, it being remembered that lap devices I2 and I3 are rotatable relatively vone to the other and that work carrying device I4 and said lap device I3 are also rotatable relatively one to the other, these last two mentioned devices being also movable either with a concentricity or an eccentricity therebetween. I-Iowever, the movability ofmembers 58 about their own axes is brought about by employing an annular band member 59 which is non-rotatably supported substantially intermediate the ends of said members and held in frictional engagement therewith, said members being carried in plurality'and axial parallelism within the annular space defined by the inner surface of said band and the outer peripheries of plates 46 and 4I and, therefore, in frietional'engagement with said peripheries as well.l Band member 59 is splitso as to possess ends which may be ljoined together with variable spacings therebetween, whereby the inner diameter of said member may bevaried to increase `or decrease its friction-creating tendencies, this jointure being carried out by meansA of a fastener 6i) which removably' inter-locks a pair of lugsv 6I xedly carried one on one end of said member and they other on the other end of said member, and it is preferred that this band member split be on. the diagonal, as shown in Figure 5, so as to minimize the break provided thereby in the'inner running surface of said member.

fit is clear from the foregoing that the nonrotatability of band member SQ and the rotatability of `the plates 46 and 4l cooperate to move bearing members 53 simultaneously about their own axes and ,about the axis of shaft 38, and, while this is going on, whether said shaft and shaft 3i are `rotating eccentrically or concentrically with respect to each other, which shafts, it is,l remembered, rotate relatively to each other, the end surfaces of said bearing members are being subjected tothe lapping action of the relatively rotating, axially movable lap surfaces 26 and 2t. fective when shafts 3| and 33 rotate eccentrically with respect to each other than when said shafts rotate concentrically with Vrespect to eachv .such eccentricity, but it is to be remembered that some jobs may be performed suflicientlysatisfactorily with shaft concentrcity and, for this reason, adjustability to attain either condition is deemed important and not to be overlooked.

Since it is desirable for the machine to be able to Vaccorfn'riodate work having differentlengths `(heights), but not at` one time, of course, and since it is practiealfor the band member to be supported Ysubstantially centrally between the ends of said work, supporting section Il has a pair of substantially diametrically spaced shims t2 and 63 removably fixed thereto, and these shims are so dimensioned in height that, when lugs (il (which interjoin the two ends of said band member) and another lug B4 (secured to said band member between said ends) are caused to rest thereupon, said band member will be held in such central position with respect to said work. Unit SS-SIe-M is held in place on shims ii!` and S3 non-rotatably by means of a pair of clamping members 65 and 66 removably secured Sincethis lapping action is more efi and IM.

` Figures 7 and 8 show the process followed in equipping unit 1564-41-48 with Work 58 land band unit 59--60--6i-64 prior to the incorporation thereof in the machine proper. A plate 6l is employed and provided with means whereby unit li-'lil-.ftlfmaybe held in place thereon while the latter is being supplied with the work and band unit, such means comprising, for instance, a'pair of'openings IEI adapted for receiving dowels E54 which, in turn, register with bores 5I insaid unit dii-d'I-li to temporarily inter-lock said plate and said latter unit (it being remembered that these bores 5I later receive dowels 54 through which shaft 38 and device` I4 are made unitarily rotatable). Plate 61 also carries means, such as dowels 63, which are arcuately spaced from each other similarly as lugs 6I and Gil of the band unit `and extend to such a level that, when supporting said band unit, the latter will be positioned substantially centrally between the ends ofthe work. These band unit lugs 6I and i351 are positioned on dowels 6B while the ends of said unit are relatively unsecured, and the work pieces 5B are then placed between band 59 and plates 46 and lil in such plurality as is desired. Thereafter, fastener 6G is tightened to produce the desired friction between the work and the inner wall of the band and between the work and the outer walls of the plates, whereupon device I4 is ready for being positioned in the machine asheretofore described.

A slightly modified use of the machine is shown in Figures 9 and l0, wherein the height (length) of the work, represented at E53, necessitates the employment of only one of the two plates i6 or Hand either eliminates the need for shims 62 and 63 or calls, at most, `for very thin ones (not shown). Otherwise, the machine operates as heretofore described.

Although the invention has been described with somedetail, it is to be understood that such description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not to be taken as being definitive'of the limitsV of the inventive idea. The rightdis reserved to make such changes in theV details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within thepurview of the attached claims. lWhat I claim is: v

1. In a lapping machine, means providing a pair of opposed lap surfaces, a pair of separably connected disks spaced from the lap surfaces and from one another supporting a plurality of work pieces in Contact with and axial perpendicularity to jsaid surfaces and in axial parallelism with an axis whereby the removal of one of said disks will facilitate sup-porting work piecesv of reduced length, and a workpiece encircling member cooperable with said separably'connected disks for moving the pieces substantially simultaneously about their axesand said first-named axis.

2. In a lapping machine, means providing a pair of opposed lap surfaces rotatable relatively one to the other about an axis, a pair of separably connected disks spaced from said lap surfaces and from one another supporting a plurality of work piecesvin contact with and axial perpendicularity to said ysurfaces as well as in vaxially spaced relation to said axis whereby the removal of one of said disks will facilitate supporting work pieces of reduced length, and means cooperable with said separably connected disks for moving the pieces substantially simulv to said shimsand clampingly engaging lugs SI1 ianeously.. about .their axes. ,and Said.` .irai-named,

axis.

3. Iny a lappingv maching, means providing a pair of opposed lap surfaces. having a substantially ,commonfaxis, a` pair of separably coneV nected disks spacedl from said lap surfaces, and from one another supporting a plurality of work pieces in contact ,with and axialperpendicularity to said surfaces and about said axis whereby the removalof one of said disksV willfacilitate vsupporting work pieces of reduced length, `and meanscooperable with said separably connected u pieces whereby rocking movement thereof will be prevented. l

5. In a lapping machine for finishing the ends of work piecesy a pair, of oppositely spaced lap surface members having circular lapping z ones of reduced width, a pair of separablyconnected disks removed from said lap surfaces andterminating adjacent said circular lapping zones providing an upper wall and a bottomwall frictionally cooperable with opposite ends ofthe work pieces, means encircling the work pieces intermediate their ends to retain thev same against said upper and-bottom walls and between said lapping zones, and means for rotating the separable disks for moving saidwork pieces in a hypocycloidal arc relativev to the reduced lapping surfaces.

6. In a lapping machine for operating upon a series of work pieces, means providing apair of spaced, parallel lap surfaces having circular lap?y pingzones of reduced width engaging the ends of said work pieces, means spaced from the operative faces ofthe lap surfaces providing a pair of annular spaced walls engaging the Ywork cent the innerv and outer peripheral portions of v said circular work engagingsurfaces for receivl ing the work pieces therebetween and rcooperable for `exerting ya three point frictional force thereupon, one of said concentric wall means including separated disk members, and'means v associated. with the other of said concentric Walls for varying said force.

8. Ina lapping machine, means providing a pair ofA opposedlap surfaces having a substantiallyfcommon axis and between and in contact asaasoe with which surfaces are carried axially spaced work pieces, means spacedf froml the` operative faces ofthe lap surfaces providing wallsfon op` DO Site sides of and in frictional'contact with` th'e pieces for confining thelatter therebetween, one

of said walls comprising separably connected separablyccnnected disks adapted tolengagethe work pieces adjacent their ends, a, work encirV-g cling band surrounding said work and engaging the'intermediate portion thereof, said disks and band. being operable for establishing frictionalr contact with. thel workQand means Vfor rotating said disksrelative to saidband andkto said circularwork lapping surfaces.

pair of opposed lap surfaces having circular ping facesof reduced width rotatable relatively one tothe other abouty an axis, supporting for,y work to belapped by said surfaces to'wposi tion the Work with the reduced lapping faces exey tending, `diametrically thereof and including, a pair of concentrically arranged members previd-` ing a space therebetween and in spaced relation from said surfaces for receiving the work, oneof said members including separably conneeted disksv engaging the work adjacent its ends', the other membercomprising` a band encircling the work and engaging the same between itsfends; said members being operable for establishing frictional contact withthevwork at threev points of. contact, means for rotating said membersrelatively `one to the other and to said surfaces, and means operabley for causing said relativeretation of said members to beeccentric with *ref spect to said axis.

11. In a lapping machine having apair of rel-g atively rotatable lap surfaces having circular lapping areas of reduced width, a device for sup-f porting work betweenthe surfaes for being lapped thereby and comprising a pair of sep,-

arably connected disk membersengaging the' work adjacent their ends, means` defining. a secy ond wall spaced laterally from said iirstfnamed wall comprising a iexible band encircling'and engaging the work pieces intermediate their lengths, said walls cooperating to provide a space therebetween for receiving the work and engag-A ing a pair of separably connected spaced-disks l defining a wall spaced intermediate the surfaces and out of engagement therewith, means deiining a second wall spaced laterally of saidA rstnamed wall and comprisingV a flexible band en` 1,0.'In alapping machine, means providing a circling said work pieces, said Walls cooperating to provide a space therebetween for receiving work of various lengths therewithin, one of said walls being movable toward the other of said walls to establish a frictional contact between the work and said walls, means operable for rotatlng said walls relatively one to the other and to the surfaces, and means causing said relative rotation of said walls to be eccentric with respect.

to said axis, said last named means comprising a rectilinearly movable member supporting said separably connected work supporting disks.

13. In a lapping machine, means providing a pair of lap surfaces rotatable relatively one to the other about an axis having lapping areas of reduced width, a pair of spaced separably connected disks forming a work support having an axis of rotation alignedA with said first-named axis and movable thereabout, said support being removed from contactual engagement With said lap surfaces, a exible band encircling the Work pieces operable for supporting work pieces between and in contact with said surfacesfor being lapped thereby, and a rectilinearly movable `supporting shaft for the separably connected disks for selectively rotating the latter either eccentrically or concentrically with respect to said aligned axes. c

` 14. In a lapping machine, a pair of lapping disks providing a pair of opposed surfaces movable relatively one to the other about andalong i an axis, a rotary shaft extending through one of said lapping disks, a rectilinearly movable member mounted on said shaft, a pair of separably connected disks removably mounted on the rectilinearly movable member rotatable about an axis positioned radially inwardly of said surfaces, one of said disks being removable for accommodating Work of reduced size, a work encircling band adapted to position work between said lap surfaces, and means loperatively interconnecting said pair of separably connected disks and said rectilinearly movable member whereby said separably connected disks may be moved along said axis relatively to said surfaces.

' GLEN F. JOHNSON. 

